BINGHAMTON, N.Y. -- Officials believe distractions and problems at home contribute to difficulties in the classroom, and even lack of attendance.
"We draw from a particularly diverse population with a particular number of challenges and barriers," said Roxie Oberg, Binghamton High School principal.
Oberg said she and other school officials work together year-round to identify students' obstacles, and find solutions to help them get their diplomas.
"We continually work to understand our students' needs, to educate our teachers to be responsible to student needs, and to support them in their outcome," she said. "Whether it's additional tutoring for regents exams, some type of support counseling, making sure they get to class, maybe it's busing ... there's a variety of things."
While only 54 percent of students in the district graduated on time, that number increases to 61 percent when you include students who graduated in August.
"And if they are not able to get it all done in that August session, they're back here the next year," Oberg noted. "And we're working with either a partial day or a full day and providing what support we can to help them be successful."
Assistant Superintendent Tonia Thompson said there are other issues with the numbers. Rates reflect how many students graduated in Binghamton, regardless of where they attended school between ninth grade and graduation day.
"We're seeing increases in mobility and certainly decreases in continuous enrollment," Thompson said. "If we look at groups of students in our district over the course of four to five years, a small percentage of students, less than a quarter are remaining with us."
Thompson said 10 percent of those expected to graduate last year entered Binghamton High School in their senior years. And while the city has seen declining graduation rates, Thompson pointed out the dropout rate actually decreased two points to 17 percent this past year.